Significance of Colors
by Joyce Kohl
Over the centuries, colors have been used for signifying
meanings in heraldry, given to the months of the year
and the seasons, religious symbolism, and for everything
from weddings to babies. Florists are quick to tell us red
roses mean love. We use color to describe
emotions. And how about "once in a blue moon" or "it's
a red-letter day."
Color in Religious Symbolism
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White: light; signifies purity; joy and glory
Red: fire and blood; charity
Blue: heaven; truth
Green: nature; hope of eternal life
Purple: sorrow and suffering
Black: death
Color in Heraldry
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Yellow or Gold: Honor and loyalty
Silver or White: Faith and purity
Red: Bravery and courage
Black: Grief and sorrow
Green: Youth and hope
Purple: High rank and royalty
Orange: Strength and endurance
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Red-purple: Sacrifice
Seasons
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Spring = pink and green
Summer = yellow and blue
Autumn = orange and brown
Winter = red and black
Months
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January = black and white. Its birthstone is the
Garnet which signifies constancy
February = deep blue. Its birthstone is the Amethyst
which signifies sincerity
March = gray or silver. Its birthstone is the
Aquamarine which signifies courage
April = yellow. Its birthstone is the Diamond which
signifies innocence
May = lavender or lilac. Its birthstone is Emerald
which signifies love and success
June = pink or rose. Its birthstone is the Pearl which
signifies health
July = sky blue. Its birthstone is the Ruby which
signifies contentment
August = deep green. Its birthstone is the Peridot
which signifies married happiness
September = orange or gold. Its birthstone is the
Sapphire which signifies clear thinking
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October = brown. Its birthstone is the Opal which
signifies hope
November = purple. Its birthstone is the Topaz
which signifies fidelity
December = red. Its birthstone is the Turquoise
which signifies prosperity
Hidden Meanings
White is associated with peace and purity such as in the
white clouds and sparkling snowflakes. Two of the most
popular peace symbols are the white dove and the truce
flag. Brides traditionally wear white which is still the
color for brides. White is the color worn in the summer
months because of its ability to deflect the heat.
Because red is the color of blood, it is associated with
strength, health, and passion. For example, we admire
rosy cheeks. Then there is the "Scarlet Letter" signifying
a fallen and sinful woman; the red dress is also
associated with the "ladies of the night."
The light blue of the sky is the color associated with
calmness and with healing. When our primitive
ancestors looked upon the light blue of a new day, they
felt safe after shuddering in the fear of the previous night
of darkness and the dangers within it. People who are
ill feel at ease when seeing each new light blue sky, and
take comfort in knowing they've made it through another
long night. A dark blue sky signifies the coming of
another night and sometimes a storm. Dark blue has
long been associated with power and authority as
attested to by the color of the uniforms of policemen - as
well as other careers and professionals. There are the
military uniforms, the cape of an RN, and countless
others. Blue has long been associated as the color for
baby boys.
Purple was first associated with royalty because of its
rarity and expense. That's how the color became a
symbol of wealth and power. Why is the medal given to
our wounded service people called a "Purple
Heart?" My best guess is that it symbolizes the power of
the wounded person to survive.
The color of cool, soft grass, plants and trees is
green. Green is the color of growth and has come to
symbolize prosperity. Green is used in hospitals
because it's thought to be easier on the eyes and to help
lower the stress levels of both patients and health-care
people. In recent years, green has signified hospitals
(think about the phrase "looking a little green"), and
some hospitals are now switching to cool blues. Yellowgreen, the color of sick plants, is now associated with
sickness or impending death.
"Sunshine yellow" immediately makes one feel
joyous. Although ancients believed the sun brought
knowledge as well as light, the brightness of the sun
bringing brightness of the mind is a reasonable
explanation for yellow signifying the mind and the
intellect.
Combining the purity of white and the passion of red
gives us pink - the color of gentle love and desire. Pink
is the color associated with baby girls, and is the color of
many newborn animals. Pink signifies gentleness, and
new birth.
When a day changes into night and before the dark blue
covering appears, the sunset is orange. Orange
symbolizes change and flexibility, and in recent years is
associated with good health due to the huge amounts of
orange juice consumed.
Are Colors Significant?
Only for the sighted or only if one isn't color-blind. For
those of us blessed with sight, we've been taught that
colors can make us feel good, excite us, generate fear
and joy, or literally make us nauseated. As long as we
attach a certain meaning to a particular color, the
legends of colors will continue to persist.
Close your eyes and feel the warmth of the sun, or taste
a "red-hot" candy, or feel the fear of thunder and the
crackle of lightning. Hold a newborn baby in your arms.
Feel a squiggly puppy or kitten. The next time you
attend a wedding, close your eyes to shut out any color.
Is the wedding any less meaningful? Colorless
raindrops need not be seen or heard to know they give
renewed life to the earth or feel wonderful on your
skin. What we feel inside doesn't require color.